Shipping Problems

[Phil Yearout]

I don't ship a lot but I use USPS. Can be slow, but I've not had any other issues.

[J. Scott Hanes]

Originally Posted by Rick Losey

there is a site called "Pirate Ship"

sounds goofy, but it's for real, i have been using it for a couple years -

you get the discounted rates from USPS, UPS and Fedex compared - select your option and print the label-

around here - the only way to ship UPS is a drop off location (the nearby "customer service" office is now a small drop box outside the truck garage) - like a CVS pharmacy - or a UPS store- not sure what the limits are on package size. Fedex has a real service site, I set up an business account, and they are okay to deal with, but I actually rarely use them

i have mostly used USPS Priority for shotguns and have not had any issues -

I have used PirateShip.com for two years and it saves a lot of $. Almost $1000 since using them. I always have used USPS by printing a ship label and sit on pins and needles as John Davis pointed out waiting for the delivery.

I am going to try Victor's method but also thought that UPS would not take any firearm, pre-printed or not.

Victor, do you take your shipments to a UPS designated shipper? Or to an "Official" UPS center?

[6pt-Sika]

We used to swear by UPS . We’d print our labels have everything packaged and they’d come by the shop and pick up . However …………… , the bill at the end of the month was always greater than what was quoted on the PC sometimes over the course of a month as much as 1k . So we’ve pretty much gone to as much as it pains me USPS and yes they deliver packages using a turtle I think . I sent some cartridge brass to someone in CO and the package left VA went to Puerto Rico then Miami then Boulder ! I shipped a gun recently priority USPS to someone on the west coast and it took just about three weeks go figure !

[Matt Buckley]

I have had no issues with UPS Ground and just printing my own postage at home and dropping off my packages at a local drop off at a grocery store. It has also worked out like the other day where I had a UPS package coming to me and I was sending out a gun so I handed the package right to my UPS driver. He told me he is willing to stop by anytime to pick up packages if I request that from the UPS website when printing out the postage.

Just as a side note, as it is the Christmas season, it never hurts to have a gift card for your local UPS and USPS carriers. I find a little thing like that results in great service the rest of the year.

[6pt-Sika]

I bought a Contemporary Longrifle from a guy on another forum . Unbeknownst to me the day I put my check in the mail priority he sent the gun to me . I think he sent it second or third day . This guy lives in Fairbanks or Anchorage I I've forgotten which . Anyway I had the gun in three days and it took three weeks for a USPS Priority envelope to reach AK !

[Stan Hoover]

Kinda makes you feel like a fool when you’re money doesn’t reach the seller promptly

[Bob Jurewicz]

I have both UPS and FedEx Gun and Gun Parts "Shipping Authorization" based on my C&R FFL. But I still prefer shipping USPS!
Bob Jurewicz

[William Machauer]

The UPS Stores are franchises, not UPS therefore they should not be shipping firearms even though UPS is the carrier.
If you ask the clerks at the store they will probably tell you the aren't allowed to accept firearms for shipping.
My regular UPS driver is a hunter, pistol shooter, bird dog guy- ya know a GOOD GUY and I'm sure he would not hesitate to take a gun box with a label.

[B. Dudley]

Yeah, pirate ship is great. They only to usps and ups. Not fedex. But the rate savings are worth it alone. I started using it in march or april of last year and my shipping savings by the end of the year was over $700.

[Stan Hillis]

UPS ships hundreds of firearms everyday, literally.

CompNChoke, near me, is a machine shop that makes screw-in choke tubes and does barrel threading for them, and makes and install muzzle brakes on rifles. The owners are my close friends. They use UPS entirely to ship, and have for over 20 years.

I am fortunate that they're happy to receive firearms for me, or ship them for me from their facility. They print the label if I ship, and there's never an issue.

They may get special rates from UPS because of the volume they ship and receive, but I've never heard them say.

Good to know about Pirate Ship, if this avenue (CompNChoke) ever closes for me.